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Plants For a White Garden

On 1
st August the white Rose should feature on any self-respecting blog. It is Yorkshire day and this is our emblem.

For me a garden needs a series of themes and contrasts. Showy annuals, intense herbaceous borders, seasonal planting and elegant shrubs are important features. When planning a ‘restricted colour garden‘ as in the white garden you are really planning for subtle contrasts and breathtaking clarity that is both calm and soothing. Grey foliage and variegated leaves will take their place amongst some of the purest or showiest flowers. To make a point and emphasise neutral colours a pure self colour may be introduced but there are shades of white and don’t forget buds, sepals and stamen bring shades of colour.

Select an area with an appropriate dark background to set off the flowers

Choose an area of isolation that avoids creating competition – a walled area is ideal

Location, location, location, avoid too much sun and allow it to glow even in poor weather

Texture and form are important in a garden and can be picked out by choice white plants and flowers

When designing think about the whites required for all the seasons

Focal points can be sharp and varied choose good specimen plants

White foliage can provide a framework for other plants

White reflects well in a still pool

Scent of white flowers can be intense and used to highlight other senses

White flowers repay close examination and draw and retain attention

For White versions of common plants, white stars and foliage

White versions of common plants

Lobelia erinus ‘White Gem’

Honesty alba

Foxglove alba

Muscari ‘Album’

Cosmos bipinnatus

Poppy orientale ‘Perry’s White’

Campanula ‘Snowdrift’

Viola wittrockiana

Hebe albicans

Yarrow argentea ‘Peter Davies’

Stars of the White Garden

Cardiocrinum giganteum The giant Himalayan lily from a bulb

Handkerchief tree Davidia involucrata

Nigella named after the great white gardener ‘Miss Jenkle Alba’

Water lily Odorata Alba and Liliums regale and longifolium

Cistus rock roses

Clematis evergreen armandii

‘Apple blossom’ Chaenomeles quince

Turks cap lily Martagon album

Cytisus albus the Spanish broom

Choose your variety of Philadelphus, Rose, Narcissus and Viburnum

The humble Snowdrop and the Snowflake

The undoubted star of the white garden was Gertrude Jekkll
A pre war garden designer Gertrude Jekyll worked with architect Sir Edward Lutchens in the UK and North America. She wrote 12 books and many of her gardens have been preserved or re established from detailed plans that were left behind. She was interested in naturalistic planting and the Arts and crafts movement.

Her name is much associated with the development of textured borders arranged and grouped in individual colours such as white gardens or ‘gold’ borders composed entirely of material in various shades of yellow and orange.

Examples of her gardens such as Hestercombe (Somerset) and Upton Grey (Hampshire) have been restored, as have parts of her own much-loved garden at Munstead Wood in Surrey.